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The Worst Person in the World. Norway.Theaters

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  Ah, a Norwegian perspective on four years of a late-20s woman’s life. From this 70-something woman’s perspective, Julie’s flaky behavior (commented on by boyfriend Aksel) is a bit irritating. Smart enough to get into medical school and achieve high grades, she changes her mind a few times, moving from psychology to photography, finally working in a bookstore and at one point dabbling in writing and finding herself with Aksel, a comic book artist 15 years her senior. After a less than perfect stay with Aksel’s family, she and Aksel argue about having children (she’s not ready yet; he is). And then she leaves Aksel’s new comic book launch and crashes a random wedding, meeting Eivind and joining  in a surreal evening where they participate in all manner of things, none of which can be categorized as cheating but nevertheless involve intimacies of a sort. Then it’s on to Eivind, a barista at the local coffee shop. Throughout the narrative Julie often seems strangely removed from...
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The Power of the Dog. US. Netflix

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  What a moody, ultimately satisfying piece. The actors are so well cast, and the scenery is stunning. Set on a Montana ranch, it’s the tale of two brothers who run a successful farm. One brother is looking to become part of society, and the other can barely be bothered to wash up. But then we discover that the fusty brother, Phil, is a Yale grad. And then we wonder why he’s now more comfortable with his anti-social, grubby self. George, the other brother, finds a mate in a widow who runs a restaurant/hotel. Her son reluctantly joins them on the ranch on his summer break from university — Phil and the ranch hands made his life miserable when he helped his mom serve them meals before she married George. As the relationships change over the summer, things take an unexpected turn after Phil cuts his hand, and it becomes infected. This is one of those movies where you really have to pay attention to the little details. Enjoy! 🎥🎥🎥🎥
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Inventing Anna. US. Netflix

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  I recently read Rachel DeLoache Williams’s book on the fake heiress Anna Delvey, so I was intrigued when I saw that Shonda Rimes had created a series based on this woman. What a fascinating contrast — Williams wrote as a former close friend of Anna’s who had been scammed while in a super-expensive resort in Morocco. But her perspective was so different from that of the series, based on a thoroughly researched article by reporter Jessica Pressler. Enjoy watching the story of this ambitious woman, bamboozling some people in the world of finance who definitely should have known better. Also enjoy the way that other characters view Rachel Williams — not gonna spoil that!  🎥🎥🎥🎥
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The Lost Daughter. US. Netflix

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  On a sun-drenched beach in Greece, literature professor Leda hopes to have a quiet holiday, but then a large family of Greek-American revelers takes over the beach, even going so far as to asking her to move her chair — she doesn’t. Nina and her daughter, part of the large family, then catch Leda’s eye, and thus begins a rumination on parents and children. Moving back and forth in time, we see Leda’s flawed relationship as a young mother with her daughters, sometimes all too similar to that of Nina and her child. It’s an often-disturbing look at mothers and their frustrations with their daughters, superbly acted  by the cast — but so depressing. 🎥🎥🎥
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Hacks. US. HBOMax

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  I’ve become a big fan of the talented Jean Smart, first in Mare of Easttown and now in this excellent show. She’s an old-school comedienne and headliner in Las Vegas. Through a series of unfortunate events, she’s paired with a young comedy writer, a headstrong woman trying to find her way in the often-difficult world of comedy. This show is often funny, sometimes heartbreaking, but always satisfying  — a look at life from the two perspectives of these women.  🎥🎥🎥🎥
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Don’t Look Up. US. Netflix

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  Omg — this movie is an amazing mashup of current events in the best black comedic tradition. With a nod to Dr. Strangelove and sporting a stellar cast, we’re rocketing into a satirical version of an outer space-caused disaster movie. A geeky astronomer PhD candidate, played by the awesome Jennifer Lawrence, discovers a new comet, which just happens to be hurtling toward Earth. Along the way, there’s a mosh of Covid metaphors, Trumper-like hysteria, and a billionaire Ted-talker. Oh, and there’s a female president, played with wicked fun by Meryl Streep, who gleefully channels her Sarah Palin to full effect. Just check out the cast list — an A++ coterie of fabulous actors who come together on this bizarro, hugely entertaining journey. Watch it now!! 🎥🎥🎥🎥++
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WandaVision. US. Disney +

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  My son and niece had both recommended this program, but I was a little hesitant since I’m not conversant in Marvel Universe. I didn’t need to worry, however. This awesome, somewhat bizarre show tapped into my youth and tv viewing  habits growing up. So many nods to shows from the 50s, 60s, and 70s got me hooked, and the storyline was so compelling. Wanda and Vision are well-drawn, and their back story revelations come at the right time for this Marvel neophyte. Just fascinating. 🎥🎥🎥🎥
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